Unified object transfer for multiple wireless transfer mechanisms

ABSTRACT

A source wireless device is capable of transmitting items over a wireless network using a number of different wireless transfer mechanism such as, for example, Infra-Red (IR) or Bluetooth. Several potential destination wireless devices may be capable of receiving the item using at least one of the different wireless transfer mechanisms. The user selects one or more destination wireless devices to send items to using a unified user interface that lists the various potential destination wireless devices. After a user selects items to transfer as well as the destination wireless device(s), the wireless transfer mechanism appropriate for transfer to each device is then automatically identified without requiring user selection of the particular wireless transfer mechanism.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 11/305,615,filed Dec. 16, 2005, and entitled “UNIFIED OBJECT TRANSFER FOR MULTIPLEWIRELESS TRANSFER MECHANISMS” and which is incorporated herein byreference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. The Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to the field of wireless transfermechanisms. Specifically, the present invention relates to methods,systems and computer program products for transferring objects using oneof multiple wireless transfer mechanisms without requiring that a userspecify a wireless transfer mechanism.

2. Background and Related Art

Computers have revolutionized modern life. Advances in computingtechnology result in more powerful and portable computing devices suchas laptop computers and hand-held computers (also called “personaldigital assistants”). In addition, some mobile telephones have computingpower and thus may also be considered computing devices. These devicesare often collectively referred to as “portable computing devices”.

It is often desirable to connect such portable computing devices withother devices or with a network in order to transfer or receiveinformation. Due to their portable nature, a number of wireless transfermechanisms are currently employed to provide such connectivity.

One group of transfer mechanisms involves the transfer of information inthe Infra-Red or “IR” range of the frequency spectrum. Various standardsexist for transferring objects over IR. One standard is called the “IrDAObject Exchange Protocol” (also called “IrOBEX”) published by theINFRARED DATA ASSOCIATION^(SM). Conventionally, object exchange occursover IR by pointing an IR transmitter from the sending device towards anIR receiver of the receiving device.

More recently, a wireless transfer mechanism called BLUETOOTH™ has beenintroduced. Bluetooth is a specification for using low-power radio tolink wireless computing devices over short distances. A Bluetoothcompatible computing device can automatically detect the presence ofother Bluetooth compatible computing devices in the general proximity.Then, object exchange between those devices is possible also usingBluetooth. Other types of wireless networking exist such as the IEEE802.11b standard also known as “Wi-Fi”.

Many computing devices may use IR, Bluetooth, other wireless transfermechanisms or a combination thereof to transfer objects betweencomputing devices. Those computing devices that use both wirelesstransfer mechanisms conventionally have a user interface for sendingobjects with IR, and a user interface for sending objects withBluetooth. Thus, a user must select the wireless transfer mechanism touse when sending an object. However, a user does not often care whatwireless transfer mechanism is used to transfer an object from onecomputing device to another. All that the user often cares about is thatthe object that the user selected for transfer is indeed transferred.

Accordingly, what is desired are systems, methods and computer programproducts for transferring objects using one of multiple wirelesstransfer mechanisms without requiring that the user designate aparticular wireless transfer mechanism.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Methods, systems and computer program products are described forproviding a unified object transfer mechanism in a wireless environmentin which multiple wireless transfer mechanisms may be possible. Inparticular, a wireless network may include a number of wireless devices.One of the wireless devices (i.e., a “source wireless device”) is totransfer one or more items to one or more of the other wireless devicesin the wireless network. Thus, each of the other wireless devices arepotential recipients of the items to be transferred and are thus called“potential destination wireless devices”.

The source wireless devices is capable of transmitting the items overthe wireless network using a number of different wireless transfermechanisms such as, for example, Infra-Red (IR), Bluetooth, or otherwireless technologies whether now existing or to be developed in thefuture. The potential destination wireless devices are capable ofreceiving the item using at least one of the different wireless transfermechanisms. In accordance with the principles of the present invention,a user may select one or more destination wireless devices to send theitems to, without having to be concerned about the particular wirelessmechanism to use when transferring the item.

The source wireless device displays a unified user interface thatpresents the potential destination wireless devices to the userregardless of the wireless transfer mechanisms that are available toeach of the potential destination wireless devices. The source wirelessdevice then receives a user selection designating which of the potentialdestination wireless devices are selected to be actual destinationwireless devices. Then, the source wireless device automaticallyidentifies wireless transfer mechanisms to use when transferring theitems to each of the selected destination devices.

All this is performed without requiring that the user specify a wirelesstransfer mechanism. In conventional models, a particular application maybe dedicated to each wireless transfer mechanism. Accordingly, when auser selects an application to use to transfer the item, the user alsoselects the wireless transfer mechanism. However, suppose that the userselects a Bluetooth application only to find that the destinationwireless device is not Bluetooth compatible. The user would then selectanother application, and another, and so on until an appropriateapplication is found that corresponds to a wireless transfer mechanismthat the destination wireless device can use to receive. This can beunduly burdensome to the user.

In accordance with the principles of the present invention, the wirelesstransfer mechanism to be used becomes less relevant. The availablewireless devices are listed in a unified interface so long as the sourcewireless device is capable of communicating with the potentialdestination wireless device using any of a number of wireless transfermechanisms.

Some users may still desire to know the wireless transfer mechanism thatis used to transfer an item. Accordingly, visually or audiblydistinguishing features may indicate to the user which of the wirelesstransfer mechanisms were user, or may be used, when communicating withthat potential destination wireless device. Accordingly, although theuser is not required to select a wireless transfer mechanism, the usermay stay apprised of the wireless transfer mechanisms that areavailable, or that are used.

Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth inthe description that follows, and in part will be obvious from thedescription, or may be learned by the practice of the invention. Thefeatures and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained bymeans of the instruments and combinations particularly pointed out inthe appended claims. These and other features of the present inventionwill become more fully apparent from the following description andappended claims, or may be learned by the practice of the invention asset forth hereinafter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In order to describe the manner in which the above-recited and otheradvantages and features of the invention can be obtained, a moreparticular description of the invention briefly described above will berendered by reference to specific embodiments thereof which areillustrated in the appended drawings. Understanding that these drawingsdepict only typical embodiments of the invention and are not thereforeto be considered to be limiting of its scope, the invention will bedescribed and explained with additional specificity and detail throughthe use of the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 schematically illustrates a wireless computing device thatrepresents a suitable operating environment for the principles of thepresent invention;

FIG. 2 illustrates an example network environment in which theprinciples of the present invention may operate;

FIG. 3 illustrates a flowchart of a method for transferring objectsusing one of a plurality of wireless transfer mechanisms withoutrequiring that the user designate a particular transfer mechanism;

FIG. 4 illustrates an example user interface that includes an upper“items window” showing items that are to be transfer, as well as a lower“status window”;

FIG. 5 illustrates an example user interface similar to that shown inFIG. 4, except that the status window indicates that some computingdevices have been found; and

FIG. 6 illustrates an example user interface similar to that shown inFIG. 5, except that the status window indicates various stages of objecttransfer with respect to some of the found computing devices.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention extends to methods, systems and computer programproducts for providing a unified object transfer mechanism in a wirelessenvironment in which multiple wireless transfer mechanisms may bepossible. A source wireless device is capable of transmitting items overa wireless network using a number of different wireless transfermechanism such as, for example, Infra-Red (IR), Bluetooth, or otherwireless technologies whether now existing or to be developed in thefuture. Several potential destination wireless devices may be capable ofreceiving the item using at least one of the different wireless transfermechanisms. The user selects one or more destination wireless devices tosend items to using a unified user interface that lists the variouspotential destination wireless devices. After a user selects items totransfer as well as the destination wireless device(s), the wirelesstransfer mechanism appropriate for transfer to each device is thenautomatically identified without requiring user selection of theparticular wireless transfer mechanism.

The embodiments of the present invention may comprise a special purposeor general purpose computing device including various computer hardware,as discussed in greater detail below. Embodiments within the scope ofthe present invention also include computer-readable media for carryingor having computer-executable instructions or data structures storedthereon. Such computer-readable media can be any available media whichcan be accessed by a general purpose or special purpose computer. By wayof example, and not limitation, such computer-readable media cancomprise physical storage media such as RAM, ROM, EEPROM, CD-ROM orother optical disk storage, magnetic disk storage or other magneticstorage devices, or any other medium which can be used to carry or storedesired program code means in the form of computer-executableinstructions or data structures and which can be accessed by a generalpurpose or special purpose computer.

When information is transferred or provided over a network or anothercommunications connection (either hardwired, wireless, or a combinationof hardwired or wireless) to a computer, the computer properly views theconnection as a computer-readable medium. Thus, any such connection isproperly termed a computer-readable medium. Combinations of the aboveshould also be included within the scope of computer-readable media.Computer-executable instructions comprise, for example, instructions anddata which cause a general purpose computer, special purpose computer,or special purpose processing device to perform a certain function orgroup of functions.

Although not required, the invention will be described in the generalcontext of computer-executable instructions, such as program modules,being executed by computing devices. Generally, program modules includeroutines, programs, objects, components, data structures, and the likethat perform particular tasks or implement particular abstract datatypes.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the invention may bepracticed in network computing environments with many types of computersystem configurations, including personal computers, hand-held devices,multi-processor systems, microprocessor-based or programmable consumerelectronics, network PCs, minicomputers, mainframe computers, and thelike. The invention may also be practiced in distributed computingenvironments where tasks are performed by local and remote processingdevices that are linked (either by hardwired links, wireless links, orby a combination of hardwired or wireless links) through acommunications network. In a distributed computing environment, programmodules may be located in both local and remote memory storage devices.

FIG. 1 illustrates a wireless computing device 100 that represents asuitable operating environment for the present invention. The wirelesscomputing device 100 includes a user interface 101 for allowing a userto input information through an input user interface 103, and reviewinformation presented via an output user interface 102. For example, theoutput user interface 102 includes a speaker 104 for presenting audioinformation to the user, as well as a display 105 for presenting visualinformation to the user. The wireless computing device 100 also has anantenna 109 for wireless communication with other devices and/ornetworks.

The input user interface 103 may include a microphone 106 for renderingaudio information into electronic form. In addition, the input userinterface 103 includes dialing controls 107 represented by 12 buttonsthrough which a user may dial a telephone number, enter a text message,or instruct the wireless computing device 100 to send a data message.Input user interface 103 also includes navigation control buttons 108that assist the user in navigating through various entries and optionsthat may be listed on display 105.

Although the wireless computing device 100 has the appearance of amobile telephone, the unseen features of the wireless computing device100 may allow for complex and flexible general-purpose processingcapabilities. For example, the wireless computing device 100 alsoincludes a processor 111 and a memory 112 that are connected to eachother and to the user interface 101 via a bus 110. The memory 112generically represents a wide variety of volatile and/or non-volatilememories that may be employed. The particular type of memory used in thewireless computing device 100 is not important to the present invention.

Program code means comprising one or more program modules may be storedin memory 112. The one of more program modules may include an operatingsystem 113, one or more application programs 114, other program modules115, and program data 116. The environment illustrated in FIG. 1 isillustrative only, and by no means represents even a small portion ofthe wide variety of wireless computing devices in which the principlesof the present invention may be implemented. For example, PDA's laptopcomputers, and even non-portable computing devices such as desktopcomputers may implement the features of the present invention withsuitable modification as described herein.

In this description and in the claims, a “wireless device” or “wirelesscomputing device” means any computing device that is capable of sendingand/or receiving using at least one wireless transfer mechanism. Thereis no requirement that such a wireless device be portable, although thatmay often be the case. Also, there is no requirement that the wirelessdevice only be capable of transferring using wireless transfermechanisms. Desktop computers may thus be wireless devices as definedfor this application as long as the desktop computer is capable ofsending and/or receiving using at least one wireless transfer mechanism,even if the desktop computer may also communicate using wired networkconnections.

FIG. 2 illustrates the wireless computing device 100 in an examplenetwork environment that also includes wireless computing devices 201through 205. The example network environment is provided in order toillustrate the principles of the present invention, and not for purposesof defining the scope of the invention. Those of ordinary skill in theart will recognize that there are a host of network environments inwhich the principles of the present invention may be employed.

In the example of FIG. 2, there are four different types of wirelesstransfer mechanisms. Two of those wireless transfer mechanisms IR 211and Bluetooth 212 are expressly named. However, there is alsoillustrated other wireless transfer mechanism #1 213, and other wirelesstransfer mechanism #2 214. These other wireless transfer mechanisms 213and 214 are illustrated to show that the principles of the presentinvention may be used with a variety of wireless transfer mechanisms(such as “Wi-Fi”), whether now existing or whether they are to bedeveloped in the future.

In the illustrated example, the wireless computing device 100 is capableof transmitting using IR, Bluetooth, Other #1, and Other #2 wirelesstransfer mechanisms. The other wireless computing devices 201 through205 also have the capability to perform wireless transfers to one extentor another. For example, the wireless computing device 201 (also knownby the alias “Justin”) is a Personal Digital Assistant or “PDA” capableof receiving using the IR wireless transfer mechanism 211. The wirelesscomputing device 202 (also known by the alias “Mark”) is a laptopcomputer capable of receiving using the Bluetooth wireless transfermechanism 212. The wireless computing device 203 (also known by thealias “Mary”) is a desktop computer capable of receiving using both theIR wireless transfer mechanism 211 and the Other #1 wireless transfermechanism 213. The computing device 204 (also known by the alias“Susan”) is a mobile telephone capable of receiving using both theBluetooth wireless transfer mechanism and the Other #2 wireless transfermechanism 214. The computing device 205 (also known by the alias “Tadd”)is a PDA capable of receiving using the Other #2 wireless transfermechanism 214.

Dotted lines represent the possible communication paths using the IRwireless transfer mechanism 211. Dashed lines represent the possiblecommunication paths using the Bluetooth wireless transfer mechanism 212.Intermittent dotted/dashed lines represent possible communication pathsusing the Other #1 wireless transfer mechanism 213. Solid linesrepresent possible communication paths using the Other #2 wirelesstransfer mechanism 214. The various wireless transfer mechanisms may beimplemented by, for example, one or more of the application programs 114in concert with the operating system 113 of the portable computingdevice 100.

Not only is this network environment just an example, but this examplenetwork environment may change, even frequently, over time. For example,suppose that the user of the wireless telephonic device 100 is wanderingthrough a hallway with the device. Various stationary and wirelesscomputing devices may constantly be moving into and out of the range ofthe various wireless transfer mechanisms of the wireless computingdevice 100.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart of a method 300 for transferring objects using oneof a plurality of wireless transfer mechanisms without requiring thatthe user designate a particular transfer mechanism. Initially, a userselects objects to send (act 301). The objects may be, for example,calendar entries, task entries, e-mails, documents, or the like.

Then, the method 300 includes finding available destination devices (act302) that are potential targets for transmitting the selected objects.Many wireless transfer mechanisms including IrOBEX and Bluetooth havethere own built-in technology for detecting the local presence of othercompatible computing devices. The presence of other computing devicesmay be detected using these conventional means.

Next, the method 300 includes a step for using a unified user interfaceto identify one or more destination wireless devices (step 303). Thisfunctional result-oriented step may include any corresponding specificacts for accomplishing the result. However, in the embodimentillustrated in FIG. 3, the step for using a unified user interface (step303) includes corresponding acts 304 and 305.

Specifically, the method 300 presents one or more potential destinationwireless devices to a user (act 304) from a unified user interface thatlists potential destination wireless devices that are each compatiblewith one or more of the different wireless transfer mechanismsimplemented by the wireless computing device 100.

FIG. 4 shows an example of a user interface 400 that includes twowindows; an items window 410 for displaying objects that a user hasselected to be transmitted, and a status window 420 for displayingavailable destination devices. The items window 410 illustrates thatthere are two objects selected for transmission, a “Go Over Schedule”object 411 and a “Presentation Design” Object 412 object. Both appear tobe calendar items. At this stage, no destination devices have yet beenfound. Accordingly, the status window 420 merely has a default entry 421that states “Infrared Tap to Send”.

As mentioned above, the method 300 presents one or more potentialdestination wireless devices to a user (act 304). FIG. 5 illustrates auser interface 500 that is similar to the user interface 400 of FIG. 4except that the status window 420 lists several found potentialdestination computing devices. In particular, there is an entry 521 forJustin, an entry 522 for Mark, an entry 523 for Mary, an entry 524 forSusan, and an entry 525 for Tadd. The found devices entries correspondto the aliases of the various computing devices illustrated in FIG. 2.

As mentioned above, the network of available destination devices mayconstantly and frequently change due to the flux of wireless devicesmoving into and out of the range of the wireless computing device 100.Accordingly, the method may continuously search for devices to determinethe existing of new devices within range, and to detect the removal ofdevices from out of the range. Accordingly, a search entry 526 indicatesthat the search is ongoing.

Once the potential destination wireless devices are displayed to theuser (act 304), the method 300 includes receiving a user selection ofone or more of the potential destination wireless devices (act 305),thus completing one embodiment of the step for using a unified userinterface to identify one or more of the destination wireless devices(step 303). For example, a user may use the navigation control buttons108 or the dialing controls 107, or any other user input to select thedesired destination wireless devices.

The method 300 then includes an act of automatically, and without userintervention, identifying wireless transfer mechanisms to use whentransferring the selected items to each of the destination wirelessdevices (act 306). When the wireless computing device 100 detects thepresence of a new wireless computing device within range, the wirelesscomputing device 100 may also detect the wireless transfer mechanismsthat the new device is capable of using. For each destination wirelesscomputing device, the wireless computing device 100 may use a set ofrules to make a determination of which of the available wirelesstransfer mechanisms to use. In some case, multiple wireless transfermechanisms may be used to redundantly transmit the same selected itemsto the same destination wireless computing device.

The computing device 100 may then determine whether or not it isappropriate to send the one or more items to the selected one or moredestination wireless devices. For example, there may be access controlconstraints that prohibit the sharing of certain items. If appropriate,the method 300 then includes sending then selected items (act 307) toeach of the destination wireless devices using the identified wirelesstransfer mechanism appropriate for each destination wireless device.Accordingly, the selected items have been sent to the destinationwireless devices using a single unified user interface and withoutrequiring that the user select a particular wireless transfer mechanism.

FIG. 6 illustrates an example user interface 600 that is similar to theuser interface 500 except that there are four selected destinationdevices shown; namely, Mark, Mary, Susan, and Tadd. The entry 622 forMark, the entry 624 for Susan, and the entry 625 for Tadd each showsthat the wireless computing device 100 is sending the first of the twoselected items to those wireless devices. The entry 623 for Maryindicates that transmission is complete in that both selected items havebeen sent to the wireless device. The entry 521 for Justin remainsunchanged which indicates that Justin was not selected as a destinationwireless device.

Optionally, each of the entries in the status window 620 may have somesort of visual feature that indicates the type of wireless transfermechanisms that are available or preferred for a particular wirelessdevice. Such visual indicators may be by color, font, size, or may be anadditional included field that includes an express indicator such as aflag or text that represents the wireless transfer mechanism. Audiblefeatures may also identify the wireless transfer mechanism to be used.For example, a chirping sound may be rendered when selecting adestination wireless device that uses IR, and a buzzing sound may berendered when selecting a destination wireless device that usesBluetooth. Thus, if the user cares what kind of wireless transfermechanism is used, the user may still find out the wireless transfermechanism without being required to do so.

Accordingly, the principles of the present invention allow for thetransmission of selected items to one or more destination wirelessdevices without the user having to designate a particular wirelesstransfer mechanism. Thus, the user experience in transferring objects toother wireless devices is simplified. The present invention may beembodied in other specific forms without departing from its spirit oressential characteristics. The described embodiments are to beconsidered in all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive. Thescope of the invention is, therefore, indicated by the appended claimsrather than by the foregoing description. All changes which come withinthe meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embracedwithin their scope.

1. In a wireless network that includes a number of wireless devicesincluding a source wireless device capable of transferring items overthe wireless network using a plurality of different wireless transfertechnologies, and including a plurality of destination wireless devicescapable of receiving items over the wireless network using at least oneof the different wireless transfer technologies, a method forfacilitating user selection of one or more destination wireless deviceswithout requiring user identification of a wireless transfer technology,the method comprising the following: an act of identifying one or morewireless technologies that detected destination devices are capable ofusing, each different wireless technology corresponding to a distinctcommunication path from the source device to one of the destinationdevices; an act of receiving a user selection of an entry for one ormore destination devices without requiring separate user selection of awireless technology for transferring one or more items to each of theselected destination devices; and an act of automatically, and withoutuser intervention, identifying a distinct communication path for eachselected destination device in response to the received user selections,each identified communication path corresponding to a wirelesstechnology to use when transferring the one or more items to a selecteddestination device.
 2. A method in accordance with claim 1, furthercomprising: an act of receiving a user selection of the one or moreitems the source device is to send to the destination device.
 3. Amethod in accordance with claim 1, further comprising: an act ofdetecting the local presence of the one or more destination devices atthe source device, the detected local presence indicating that the oneor more destination devices are available to receive the one or moreitems in response to receiving a user selection of the one or moreitems.
 4. A method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising: anact of the source wireless device presenting one selectable entry foreach of the detected destination devices at a unified user interface,each selectable entry representing a destination device independent ofdifferent wireless transfer technologies the destination device iscapable of using and independent of the number of distinct communicationpaths from the source device to the destination device.
 5. A method inaccordance with claim 1, further comprising the following: an act ofsending the one or more items to the selected one or more destinationwireless devices via the identified communication paths.
 6. A method inaccordance with claim 1, wherein the one or more wireless transfertechnologies include one or more of infrared wireless technologies andBluetooth technologies.
 7. In a wireless network that includes a numberof wireless devices including a source wireless device capable oftransferring items over the wireless network using a plurality ofdifferent wireless transfer technologies, and including a plurality ofdestination wireless devices capable of receiving items over thewireless network using at least one of the different wireless transfertechnologies, a method for facilitating user selection of one or moredestination wireless devices without requiring user identification of awireless transfer technology, the method comprising the following: anact of identifying one or more wireless technologies that the detecteddestination devices are capable of using, each different wirelesstechnology corresponding to a distinct communication path from thesource device to the a destination device; a step for using a unifieduser interface to identify one or more destination wireless devices, theunified user interface being independent of the one or more differentwireless transfer technologies supported by the source device so that auser need not identify any particular wireless transfer technology forcommunicating with the one or more destination devices; and an act ofautomatically, and without user intervention, identifying a distinctcommunication path for each of the selected destination devices inresponse to the received user selections, each identified communicationpath corresponding to a wireless technology to use when transferring oneor more items to a selected destination device.
 8. A method inaccordance with claim 7, further comprising: an act of receiving a userselection of the one or more items the source device is to send to thedestination device.
 9. A method in accordance with claim 7, furthercomprising: an act of detecting the local presence of the one or moredestination devices at the source device, the detected local presenceindicating that the one or more destination devices are available toreceive the one or more items in response to receiving a user selectionof the one or more items.
 10. A method in accordance with claim 7,further comprising: an act of the source wireless device presenting oneselectable entry for each of the detected destination devices at aunified user interface, each selectable entry representing a destinationdevice independent of different wireless transfer technologies thedestination device is capable of using and independent of the number ofdistinct communication paths from the source device to the destinationdevice.
 11. A method in accordance with claim 7, further comprising thefollowing: an act of sending the one or more items to the selected oneor more destination wireless devices via the identified communicationpaths.
 12. A method in accordance with claim 7, wherein the step forusing a unified user interface to identify one or more destinationwireless devices comprises the following: an act of the source wirelessdevice presenting a list of the one or more destination devices to theuser in the unified user interface; and an act of receiving a userselection of one or more destination devices without requiring separateuser selection of the specific wireless transfer technology for each ofthe one or more selected destination devices.
 13. A computer programproduct for use in a wireless network that includes a number of wirelessdevices including a source wireless device capable of transferring itemsover the wireless network using a plurality of different wirelesstransfer technologies, and including a plurality of destination wirelessdevices capable of receiving items over the wireless network using atleast one of the different wireless transfer technologies, the computerprogram product for implementing a method for facilitating userselection of one or more destination wireless devices without requiringuser identification of a wireless transfer technology, the computerprogram product comprising one or more computer-readable media havingstored thereon the following: computer-executable instructions foridentifying one or more wireless technologies that detected destinationdevices are capable of using, each different wireless technologycorresponding to a distinct communication path from the source device toone of the destination devices; computer-executable instructions forreceiving a user selection of an entry for one or more destinationdevices without requiring separate user selection of a wirelesstechnology for transferring one or more items to each of the selecteddestination devices; and computer-executable instructions forautomatically, and without user intervention, identifying a distinctcommunication path for each of the selected destination devices inresponse to the received user selections, each identified communicationpath corresponding to a wireless technology to use when transferring theone or more items to a selected destination device.
 14. A computerprogram product in accordance with claim 13, further comprising:computer-executable instructions for receiving a user selection of theone or more items the source device is to send to the destinationdevice.
 15. A computer program product in accordance with claim 13,further comprising: computer-executable instructions for detecting thelocal presence of the one or more destination devices at the sourcedevice, the detected local presence indicating that the one or moredestination devices are available to receive the one or more items inresponse to receiving a user selection of the one or more items.
 16. Acomputer program product in accordance with claim 13, furthercomprising: computer-executable instructions for the source wirelessdevice presenting one selectable entry for each of the detecteddestination devices at a unified user interface, each selectable entryrepresenting a destination device independent of different wirelesstransfer technologies the destination device is capable of using andindependent of the number of distinct communication paths from thesource device to the destination device.
 17. A wireless networkcomprising the following: a source wireless device capable oftransferring items over the wireless network using a plurality ofdifferent wireless transfer technologies; and a plurality of destinationwireless devices available for receiving one or more items over thewireless network, each using at least one distinct wireless transfertechnology; wherein the source device configured to perform thefollowing: identify one or more wireless technologies that detecteddestination devices are capable of using, each different wirelesstechnology corresponding to a distinct communication path from thesource device to one of the destination devices; receive a userselection of an entry for one or more destination devices withoutrequiring separate user selection of a wireless technology fortransferring one or more items to each selected destination device; andautomatically, and without user intervention, identifying a distinctcommunication path for each selected destination device in response tothe received user selections, each identified communication pathcorresponding to a wireless technology to use when transferring the oneor more items to a selected destination device.
 18. A wireless networkin accordance with claim 17, further comprising: the source device beingconfigured to receive a user selection of the one or more items thesource device is to send to the destination device.
 19. A wirelessnetwork in accordance with claim 17, further comprising: the sourcedevice being configured to detect the local presence of the one or moredestination devices at the source device, the detected local presenceindicating that the one or more destination devices are available toreceive the one or more items in response to receiving a user selectionof the one or more items.
 20. A wireless network in accordance withclaim 17, further comprising: the source device being configured topresent one selectable entry for each of the detected destinationdevices at a unified user interface, each selectable entry representinga destination device independent of different wireless transfertechnologies the destination device is capable of using and independentof the number of distinct communication paths from the source device tothe destination device.